Business continued as usual after the woman left, but a peculiar feeling lingered with Jonathan. As she walked away, he couldn't shake the sense that he had seen her before, though he couldn't recall where or when.
"Quite an intriguing woman," his father remarked, noticing Jonathan's furrowed brow. "What's on your mind, son?"
Jonathan's gaze remained distant as he replied, "It's strange, Father. I feel like we've crossed paths before."
His father chuckled, giving a dismissive wave. "Maybe she's been a customer here before. Don't read too much into it."
"Perhaps," Jonathan murmured, still unconvinced.
With a resigned sigh, his father patted him on the shoulder. "Remember, you're leaving early today to gather those herbs. Got the list?"
"Yes, Father." Jonathan nodded, shaking off his thoughts. "I've committed it to memory."
His father gave an approving smile. Though Jonathan wasn't particularly gifted in cultivation, his memory was impeccable, and his father trusted his ability. "Need any help? You know those herbs can be tricky, even dangerous."
Jonathan gave a confident shake of his head. "I'll manage. I've done well on my own recently."
---
Later that day, Jonathan found himself deep within the spiritual mountain, carefully foraging for herbs along a shimmering river. The peace of the forest surrounded him, broken only by the sound of distant water. But soon, another noise disrupted the calm—heavy footsteps, each one louder and closer than the last.
He turned sharply, eyes widening as he faced a massive magical rhino with a golden horn and gleaming purple crystal patches along its flanks. The creature let out a deep, guttural snort, lowering its head to charge.
Jonathan instinctively threw himself aside as the rhino thundered past him, barely avoiding the deadly horn.
"Interesting…" murmured a voice in the shadows. The veiled woman had been watching him from afar, her gaze sharp with recognition. "The way he moves... Yes, it must be him."
Back by the river, Jonathan stared at his hands, stunned. "How did I move that fast?" He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of unfamiliar strength. Resolute, he turned back to face the beast, his voice steady. "Come at me again, if you dare."
The rhino let out a fierce bellow that echoed through the trees. Its powerful body tensed before it charged once more, faster than before. Jonathan braced himself, yet his courage faltered as the rhino closed in with terrifying speed.
The impact hit him like a landslide, flinging him back against a thick tree trunk. Pain exploded through his body as he fell to the ground, blood trickling from his lips. He struggled to rise, but his limbs felt leaden, and his vision blurred.
Watching from a distance, the woman's frown deepened as she saw Jonathan's struggle. She couldn't ignore the danger he faced.
In an instant, she vanished from her position, reappearing before him just as the rhino bore down for a final, deadly strike. With a fluid motion of her hands, she summoned a pulse of spiritual energy, knocking the rhino back with ease. The sheer force radiating from her stance caused Jonathan to stagger and collapse once more, the shock of it too much for his weakened body.
As his eyes fluttered shut, he glimpsed her face, faintly illuminated by the mountain's soft light. Then everything went dark.
Silently, she lifted him, her steps steady as she ventured deeper into the heart of the spiritual mountain. The unconscious rhino trailed behind them, pulled by the unseen force of her power.
....